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Fatality #7 - April 18, 2008

Accident Classification: Machinery
Location: Little Toby Mine, Pennsylvania
Mine Controller: Rosebud Mining Company
Mine Type: Underground
Mined Material: Coal (Bituminous)
Incident Date/Time: April 18, 2008 01:30 pm

At approximately 1:30 p.m. on Friday, April 18, 2008, a 43-year old continuous miner operator with 3 years 10 months of mining experience was fatally injured at Rosebud Mining Company's Little Toby Mine. The accident occurred while the victim was positioning a remote controlled continuous mining machine with an attached bridge conveyor system in a crosscut to the right. As the victim was attempting to position the continuous mining machine, the inby mobile bridge operator felt an unusual bouncing of the bridge conveyor and attempted to make radio contact with the miner operator. When no radio response was received the mobile bridge operator shut the unit down with the emergency stop switch. The inby mobile bridge operator crawled toward the face and discovered the victim pinned between the basket of the inby mobile bridge and the mine rib. 



The accident occurred because the mine operator failed to adequately implement existing policy and procedures designed to ensure that miners did not enter dangerous areas that presented pinch hazards such as the "Red Zones" established around remote controlled mining machines and mobile bridge conveyor systems. 

FATALITY ALERT

COAL MINE FATALITY - On Friday, April 18, 2008, a 43-year old continuous miner operator with 3� years experience was fatally injured while operating a continuous miner with an attached mobile bridge conveyor system. As the victim was positioning the continuous miner in a crosscut turning right, the inby mobile bridge operator felt an unusual bouncing of the bridge and failed to get a radio response from the miner operator. The bridge operator shut the system down using the emergency stop switch and crawled toward the face and discovered the victim pinned between the basket of the bridge and the left rib.

FINAL REPORT
CAI-2008-07